Lima the Capital of Peru

Lima is the largest city in Peru and consequently the capital city. Lima known as well as “the City of Kings” La Ciudad de los Reyes , As viceroys representing the King of Spain ruled all over Perú from here. Lima is located in the valleys of three rivers i.e. Rimac, Chillon and Lurin and along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Most parts of Lima city are located on a flat terrain making the elevation of the city to increase as you head away from the coastline. The city covers an area of approximately 2,672 square kilometers but the Lima Metropolitan Area (comprises of Lima city and the seaport of Callao) has a total area of 2,819 square kilometers. With a population of about 12 million, Lima is the third-largest city in South America after Sao Paulo and Mexico City.

Lima Geographical Location

What is the history of Lima?

Initially, Lima was occupied by different indigenous South American peoples and by the 15th century, the entire region was ruled by the Inca Empire. However, in 1532, the Inca ruler (Atahualpa) was defeated by the Spanish. When the Spanish took over the kingdom, Francisco Pizzaro established the city of Lima on 18th January 1535. As the city grew, numerous people occupied the city and it became one of the important cities in the region. After a while, Lima was designated as the capital of Viceroyalty of Peru. After Peru gained its independence on 28th July 1821, Lima was named as the capital city.

As the capital city of Peru, Lima is the seat of the government. The Government Palace which is located at Plaza Mayor serves as the main executive branch of the government and other ministries. Also, the legislative and the judicial branches operate from the Legislative Palace and the Palace of Justice in Lima city respectively. Besides being the seat of the government, Lima is also a commercial, educational, economic and cultural hub of the nation.

Lima language

Although Peru is a multilingual nation, Spanish is the dominant language although there are other indigenous languages. About 84% of the Peruvian population speak Spanish also known as Espanol or Castellano. As a result, Espanol is the principal language used in the media, education system and the Peruvian government. It is important to note that other Spanish travelers or from other nations can detect slight variations in the Espanol spoke in Peru.

Quechua is the native language that’s spoken in the country and Lima city. This makes Quechua the second most common language in Peru because it is spoken by about 13% of the population. Quechua was Inca’s language and it is mainly dominant in central and highland regions of Peru.

Finally, Aymara is spoken by about 1.7% of the population and it is the third most spoken language in the country. Normally, Aymara speakers occupy the southern region near the Bolivia border and around Lake Titicaca.

Lima predominant religion

Christianity is the dominant religion in Peru with the Roman Catholic being the main religion. There are other religions in Peru and Lima city because of diversification. Other religions in Peru include Buddhism, Islam, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. However, indigenous Peruvians have blended their traditional beliefs with Catholicism.

Lima Currency

The Nuevo Sol is the official currency of Peru.

Lima Climate

Lima is pleasantly warm throughout the year with humidity and little rainfall.